(a) The following criteria shall be met before the State Police activate the Amber Alert:

Terms Used In West Virginia Code 15-3A-4

  • State: when applied to a part of the United States and not restricted by the context, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories, and the words "United States" also include the said district and territories. See West Virginia Code 2-2-10

(1) The child is believed to be abducted;

(2) The child is seventeen years of age or younger;

(3) The child may be in danger of death or serious bodily injury; and

(4) There is sufficient information available to indicate that an Amber Alert would assist in locating the child.

(b) In the event of suspicion that a child has been abducted or is missing, and in the initial stages of a missing or abducted child investigation, the reporting law enforcement agency shall contact the West Virginia State Police Communications Center by telephone. The communications center will then contact the Amber Alert Coordinator to determine if the Amber Alert criteria are satisfied."